College and NaNo--Day 1

Why have I been silent since over a month ago? I've been doing all the homework that I can in advance in preparation for NaNo. This meant I had to read the homework of October, November, and half of December and do all of the exercises. I had originally meant to get all of it done by Halloween, but working on two theatre shows during that time cut down on my ability to do it quite a bit. It was a tough October, reading at least two books during the weekend when I had large pieces of time to read.

But yesterday, realizing that fear, not homework, prevented me from beginning my NaNo, I started it. I still have the goal of 50K by the end of November, and 30K (hopefully) by the middle of December. Going at the pace I am now, I know I will have too long of a book and will need to pare it down, but this is draft 0. It isn't even draft 1. I am getting a feel for the characters, setting, and plot right now. I will have to do about 2400 words every day in order to reach the goal, but I am determined to finish this year. I am determined to show my writing friend Treeland with the majority (or hopefully all) of it done.

Treeland is Planted

That's right, I did it.

Three and a half pages deep, and Treeland is planted with its first plot. Now, I am an outliner. I also write quite a lot of description for my outlining. It's not just 'Character A goes to bar and meets Character B' as the chapter, but what really happens. I need to know what I want to go on, because it is much easier that way to keep track of what I want in the chapter.

I am still behind in the October Prep of NaNo that I am using, courtesy of Dawn Embers by two days, but I feel that I can pick it up quickly because I have worked with these characters before in an initial draft and plot that turned out not to be what I wanted. I know that I have left some plot points out, but for now, I am proud of myself. I know in the next few days I'm going to have to draft it again and expand and see what I really think of everything a few days after, but as long as I do not hate the plot suddenly during November, I am good. I am aiming to complete the novel in November, and I have a good feeling it will be going over 50K easily. But I would like to say that I finally have written a book, and that I did it in 30 days.

I am also doing it in secret. I have one writer friend who I am great friends with, and she does not know that I am doing Treeland now, as she's always been frustrated with me and not really being a true writer (since she has completed two novels already) and I would like to surprise her once I am done with it.

I think that would really be awesome. That is my goal.

New NaNo Idea -- Treeland

So, after attempting to make a plot for the short story, I decided to scrap the steampunk NaNo idea, as the plots were not doing it for me. It just didn't feel like they were good enough. My ideas usually come through some sort of idea or theme. Like time or dreams, for instance. So, I have fallen back onto one of my projects that will finally be pushed forward with NaNo to make a complete first draft. With that, I have figured out the plot, finally, to make some sort of complete sense. And I like it. And that is the most important thing. With this month of October getting ready to prep, and doing something on a day by day work schedule (once I catch up to today's date on that schedule), I believe I will have a fully fleshed out outline before I begin, and I believe that is just what I need.

I will name this NaNo novel "Treeland" here, to speak about how I am doing on it. Today, I am proud to have come up with a complete, basic outline. There are a few subplots that I have not worked into it yet, but perhaps they may not arise so quickly, and for now, I am liking the simplicity.

Time to Learn about Ships

I believe I have figured out, at least for the basics, what my NaNoWriMo novel may be about. For a class, I had to write my first full short story. I have named it "Atlantis and the Kraken." It is steampunk, and the first thing I realized was that I need to know a lot more about ships if I am going to write this steampunk novel.

But it was great to write something that I would not normally write about. I am a alternate world fantasy writer. Steampunk is something that I even have not read much of. This is a way for me to learn to become better in writing, better in my craft. I will revise this "short" (it's nearly 2,000 words) story tomorrow, as well as work on the NaNo full novel part of it. Plot will be first. I will struggle with it, but the plot must be done. I will get it done.

NaNoWriMo '10

I have decided today that I will be participating in National Novel Writing Month this year. I have thought and attempted it a few times before, but have never been truly serious about it. I am determined to win this year, if nothing else to get a good first draft on a story I will be creating today and writing on November 1st. So, as this blog also needs to become a bit more active, I will be posting my journey through NaNoWriMo, as I attempt a novel outside of my normal genres.

So here's for NaNoWriMo '10. Time to plot.

The necessity of liking the classics

You need to like or appreciate the classics. At least for a time. This is particularly true while you're still in some type of schooling, particularly different schools.

These books that you likely had to read in your high school English class or your gen. ed. English class at college are there for a reason. They are important pieces of history. It could be because it was from a famous author at the time (oh so many), the author was different from the norm (I think of the slave narratives, such as Frederick Douglass), or the writing style or subject was unique (Woolf and Faulkner come to mind for me). Of course, there are many other reasons why these books are chosen to be read over and over. This also includes my high school reason of "We're only reading them for the 'symbolism' and 'hidden messages,' even though I can't find them at all." But many of the classics do have a story behind the story, which is less found today in contemporary and genre fiction (in my opinion, unless I'm still not picking up the hidden story).

But there are some classics I simply cannot stand. This coming semester where I will be reading upwards of 20 novels, there are some that I have read before in high school classes, including The Great Gatsby, The Scarlet Letter, and my dreaded The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Now, it would be good to read these books again now that my brain has grown to understand a bit more. But, I read Huck Finn already in a different college class, as well as in high school. The problem both times was that I had to read the book in a matter of days, and get past the dialect. Perhaps that was what cemented it into my memory as a book I wish never to read again.

I doubt that reading it again will change my opinion of it, but the others I may enjoy much more this time than the first time, as I strive to keep an open mind for any book I read.

So, what about you? Do you enjoy reading the classics? Why or why not? Is there a certain one you simply cannot stand?

I found out why they call it a Kindle

I've got to say, I am very much impressed with the Kindle DX I received today! Though it is much bigger than I had anticipated to be, after reading on it today, I don't mind how big it is. After learning how to use it, and downloading my first few books onto it, I am sure that I will be reading a good portion of my books on it. Though it will never be able to replace a real book.

I will simply gush over this mysterious thing. I don't know how they make the screen, as the screensaver mode gives a lovely picture of a well known art or author and it remains up there with ease. The font is adjustable and I like setting mine at the second smallest level, though I could read from the smallest as well. The fonts get just huge though, where not even a sentence can fit on it sometimes.

The orientation is nice as well, though I do find the placing of the usb port and the headphones to be silly. I definitely think they should be reverse with the headphones at the bottom and the usb port at the top. When my kindle is charging, I will be using it upside down, as it will change to fit that format as well with the text. The page buttons are both on the right, and it seems that inevitably, someone will complain about it. As most people are right handed (which I am not) it make the most sense to put it on that side. As well as because most items will be read with the page turning right. But the backpage button is also on the right, albeit smaller and above the right page button. It works for people who use only one hand to hold the kindle, but I will always say that the backpage button is on the wrong side. Seeing as how the button is used much less, it really isn't much of a problem. Only if the page is inverted, as in my situation with charging, does the reader have to remember to pres the now pointing left button to turn to the right page.

I tried out the voice option, but will rarely, if never use it. The voice is good for automated, yet it is still automated. I have to set it onto the slowest setting in order to understand what it is saying, and it still may pronounce words wrong. It also will flip the pages for you when you get to the end of the page, which is truly nice. The choice between male and female voices is a nice touch, and for print-to-voice, it is a good program, but not for me. I like to read my books, rather than hear them.

An aspect I do not like is the fact that when I have to type in my password, the letter I type in is shown and any others before it are the standard bullet. If my password is cats, I type 'c' '*a' '**t' '***s' which still allows anyone looking over my shoulder to read what I type, even if I am going fast, and log in. It is essential that they fix that. My password does not happen to be cats in actuality.

Though it touts it as 'being able to read without straining your eyes' I like the idea of a backlit screen, as a computer or laptop screen has never given me trouble over long periods of time. I am also one who likes to do things with only just enough light, though again I hear that hurts my eyes as well. In all, I do really like the screen.

My only fears are for it breaking or snapping, though I am sure it is a durable little thing. It is just simply so thin and I am afraid for it. I have gotten a case for it, and shall be happy when I get it. It is a deep burgundy red, which just happens to be my favorite color. We'll see if it is as true a burgundy as they say.

Other than that, I shall be reading plenty of books, especially the out-of-copyright books that I've been wanting to read for so long. Come classes with many older books, I will be in luck, particularly a Shakespeare class.

Expect more updates about the kindle as I test it out even more as school starts up again soon. I also completed reading The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman and The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin just these past couple of days and will be writing up on them soon.

Why is it called a Kindle anyway?

Yesterday, I went and ordered a kindle. While the initial expense is up there, I figure that I will be able to save in the long run, especially on out-of-copyright books. A class I must take for my English major that will use the Kindle particularly is a Shakespeare class. I am sure that in the class we will be reading plenty of them, and having a kindle will definitely help, as opposed to finding either physical book copies, or reading them on the web. It will also save my poor back from having to carry around all of my books, which may be even better than anything else.

Will be updating soon on my first impressions of the Kindle DX Graphite.

time management and excuses

These past few weeks have been so busy as I rehearse for a musical. Usually the times are 10am or 12pm to 10pm almost every day with an hour and a half break for dinner. So, have I written during this time? No, unfortunately I haven't. I obviously have time before or after rehearsal, but I have been tired constantly, especially after rehearsal.

Some priorities need to come first before writing, unfortunately, like eating and sleeping, and especially keeping up my health. Keeping my sanity and stress down is also something that should be placed above other things. Of course, these are simply excuses. I can say that I will begin writing as soon as the musical is over, but does that mean I will? Most likely not... if I know myself well enough.

As soon as I say that I will write, I will make up another excuse. Obviously, I won't make it very far in my career of deadlines. But looking back at my document, I am surprised to find 30K words. I don't know where that came from, honestly.

What am I going to do about this? I have a writing friend who constantly pesters me for more writing, and she has been an absolute savior to me and my writing. I still maintain that I will write after the musical is done with its run, because I do feel exhausted to start up my writing again and editing what I have written (due to plot changes).

And so, the first of February is my date of working hard again and keeping up a new year's resolution.

researching reality

One thing I am working on is learning about the publishing industry by reading quite a bit from authors, literary agencies, and other professionals in the business. It has given me a bit of insight as to what I should expect, how I should act, and what I should focus myself on. I have never wavered myself on writing fantasy novels. It is my interest in reading and gives me the ability to be as creative as I want. But my focus in editing was general. I did not know how many different types of editors there were. Of course I still have a lot of researching to do, so easily I could change my mind some time in the future.

My ideas are to find a job in a publishing house as an editor. I think that my interests (and hopefully strengths) are leaning towards the line editor type of career. I like critiquing the writing itself, the plot, characters, setting. Of course, that is if I am even describing the right type of editor. If I cannot find this sort of job in a publishing house, I can always be a freelance editor, possibly. However, I still need to research more.

Reading blogs by those already in the industry also helps me in my writing career. I shouldn't expect to have agents and publishers drop at my feet for my novels. I have to work extremely hard to get them to look at my work and think they could use it. I probably won't be able to survive on my writing career. But even though my reality check helps me to not expect quite so much, I will still try. To assume I am the best on earth will only hamper my career.

So I need to research, research, and research some more. It's the best thing to immerse myself into the industry.

naming your characters before worldbuilding

Naming your characters before establishing your world and cultures is a bad idea, in my opinion. I am struggling with the problem at this moment. I created my characters' names and they all sound like they could be from the same world. However, they are from more than one culture. Names are a reflection of a culture's language, and ideally, if your world is dealing with more than one culture, then names from different cultures should sound different, especially if they speak different languages.

Take a look at names in Europe. An English name will sound different from a French name or a German name, and these will sound very different from a South African name or a Chinese name because these languages are far removed from each other in the language tree.

So, your cultures should also reflect their language and differences. A simple way to separate two cultures is to make one have a lyrical sounding language (and names) compared to a harsher sounding language. Trippask sounds different than Alania, doesn't it? When random character says that they've come from Maelasa, you can assume that they're part of the same culture as Alania. If Maelasa is in the same country as Trippask, there should be an explained reason for this for such a different sounding name. Was Maelasa founded by people from Alania?

What does a person do when they've already made names for several cultures that don't sound like they're from several cultures? Some names and places might need to be changed to reflect their differences. As much as I would like to keep the names of some of my people, it may be best for credibility's sake and to create a more realistic world. It's hard to force a language to multiple names and somehow not make it complicated. In the next story, I will definitely create the language rules to a culture before naming the characters before I get too attached to the names.

the editor mouse pokes her nose out of the mousehole for the first time

If you've managed to find this small little corner of space that is inhabited by this little mouse, then I welcome you! I am an author in training, and editor in training, and what I mean by in training is that I am no where near to being any sort of published author or professional editor yet. I'm mostly just a hopeful that is working to one day have the title of author and editor behind my name. It might not happen but we're all hopeful for such a dream, right?

So if you happen to stick around for a while, you'll get to see me struggle through my attempts to become a REAL writer as I flounder through the wonderful days that are college in hopes that maybe, just maybe, I'll be picked up by a kind company to let me look at and destroy other people's books to make them (hopefully) better. Won't that be fun? But that's a long time in the future, I think. I first have to learn to write properly and what makes a book good.

Just maybe, maybe, I might actually succeed. But until then, I'm just a small little in training mouse with a small space to record my journey.